Circularity itinerant markets

Long description

The project aims to develop a concept of microeconomic circular handling of plastics in rural areas in low-income countries.   The project will focus on:

1. developing suitable concept for the collection of plastic waste and selling of recycled plastic products
2. identifying suitable and desired plastic products for manufacturing
3. identifying suitable basic technology for manufacturing the plastic products (best practice from literature/internet search)
4. identify and propose measures for good manufacturing (applicability, safety and working environment, etc.)
5. identification of available plastics quality and quantity
6. local market research regarding interest among locals, among potential merchants and manufacturers
7. identify appropriate information campaigns to raise awareness of the problems associated with plastic waste in nature
8. final reporting

The concept will utilize existing societal structures for itinerant markets where the basic principle is that plastics are bought in villages by merchants from the local population and recycled plastic products are sold by the same merchants in villages.

The project will be carried out in rural southern Chad together with a local healthcare organization that has been engaged in village development projects since the 1970s.   Prior to the project application, the healthcare organization in Chad was visited in 2020 for a discussion on the concept idea. The response was very positive and the organization predicted that plastics would no longer be thrown away at all, but handled and stored as a commodity.

The project team has extensive experience in circular economy and has been involved in several local development projects in Chad.

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